Apparatus and method of making nontangling string handle bag packages



Jan. 26, 1937. J. WICHULSKI -ET AL 2,058,724

APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MAKIMG NONTANGLING STRING HANDLE BAG PACKAGESFiled Feb. 11, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 G: .ll nl INVENTORS Josef Wl'chu/s/r/ M/c/me/ llzzoianel/a Q in; BM

ATTORNEY.

Jan. 26, 1937. J. WICHULSKI ET AL APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MAK IMGNQNTANGLING STRING HANDLE BAG PACKAGES Filed Feb. 11, 1935 4sheets-sheet 2 a m H W m 1.2 0.. MP m ma 0/ M ATTORNEY.

2,068,724 I APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MAKIMG NONTANGLING STRING HANDLE BAGPACKAGES Jan. 26, 1937. J. WICHULSKI in" AL 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 FiledFeb. 11, 1955 ATTORNEY.

' Jan. 26, 1937.

J. WICHULSKI ET AL APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MAKIMG NONTANGLING STRINGHANDLE BAG PACKAGES Filed Feb. 11, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 GWW INVENTORSJosef M'cAu/sk/ a H w Mn 1 m w W m d a n m Patented Jan. 26, 1937 rrsoSTATES PATENT OFFIE APPARATUS AND- METHOD OF MAKING NONTANGLING STRINGHANDLE BAG PACKAGES New York Application February 11, 1935, Serial No.6,048

18 Claims.

The present invention relates to machines for packing tea and similarmaterials in individual bags and more particularly is directed to animproved means for finishing tea bags formed with non-tangling type ofstring handles.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve machines ofthe character described which shall comprise few and simple partsassembled to form novel, efficient and economical additional equipmentfor operating in combination with existing or newly developed tea bagpackaging machines whereby non-tangling string handle tea bags can beproduced, and which shall be simple in operation and practical to a highdegree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described and of which thescope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one illustrativeembodiment of this invention,

Fig. l is a plan view showing an apparatus embodying the inventionapplied to a tea bag packing machine (only a portion thereof beingshown) for finishing the tea bags by providing a non-tangling form ofstring handles thereon;

2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing portions ofthe machine and equip ment assembly in elevation;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l and linel4 in Fig. 3, respectively;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the assembly shown in Fig. 1, thevarious operating parts being shown in position at the end of the sewingoperation just before the tea bag is discharged from the equipment;

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views, in elevation, taken on line 6-6 ofFig. 5 and line l'l in Fig. 6, respectively;

Fig. 8 is a plan of a portion of the loop-forming discharging assemblyshowing the power transmission and timing elements, and

Fig. 9 is a sectional View taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the apparatus there shown,embodying the invention applied in combination with tea bag packagingmachine, will be described successively as to structure and operation.

Structure-4n practicing the invention, a bag packaging machine may beused of which only parts of units A and B are here shown and described,in combination with the additional equipment H to provide non-tanglingstring handles for the bag packages. The portions of the bag packagingunit A shown in the drawings is seen to comprise a series of radiallyextending spaced abutment plates in each coasting with a jaw H movablerelative to one of said plates l0. Each jaw H may be made integral witha bar 12 pivotally connected with the ends 13, l3a of a pair of curvedarms M, Ma, respectively. These latter arms it, its are pivotallymounted at l5, l5a, respectively, and tend to move in the direction ofthe plate it by the action of a flat spring 16 anchored at H to the bodyof a turn table 18 which also carries the plates l0, arms [4, I do andjaws H. The aforementioned parts I2, l3, l3a, i4 and Mia coact to form aparallelogram pivoting about l5, Him to permit jaw H to move toward oraway from plate in. The mechanism operating to move the spaced jaws H orthat required to charge a tea bag T between plate It and jaw it forms nopart of the present invention and is not shown.

A string S terminated by a tag G is fed to unit A by mechanisms similarto those shown and described in the prior patent to Allatt, Reissue No.16,897, dated March 13th, 1928, so that the string portion thereof isgripped by a pair of fingers 20, 28a in the manner shown in Fig. l, andis then discharged by a push mechanism mounted on slidable carriage 2|and actuated by a rod 22 so as to deliver both the tea bag T and thetagged string S together into a receiving slot 30 forming part ofstation C of turret unit B, fingers 28, 28a being .opened and jaw Iiretracted by mechanisms not shown. (For a more complete disclosure ofthis feature, see Fig. 5 of said Allatts reissued patent referred toabove.) The tea bag T and string S, when inserted into slot 39 at C, arecrowded into the latter so that the upper end of the tea bag T isgathered to form a closure and is tightly wedged in position in saidslot against displacement.

Turret unit B may be rotated in proper step by step timed relation toturn table l8 of unit A by means of a drive of the type disclosed insaid Allatt reissued patent.

As the turret rotates, the bag T at station C passes in front of guidesor guards 3|, 31a, acting to maintain the gathered closure in positionin slot 30 and arrives at station D. Here a pair of shears 32 actuatedin properly timed relation and provided at one extremity with a crossbar 33 acting as a guide to the lower member of the shear, moves so asto trim off those portions of the top of the bag T and the stringextending above a predetermined level. Turret B then-rotates so as tobring the bag to station E where a suitable seal or fastener is appliedto the gathered closure, as for example a metal band M (aluminum) whichmay be forced by a plunger 3d around both the neck of the tea bag '1 andstring S so as to bind them together in the manner shown in Fig. 3.

Plunger 3 1 is carried by a cross head 35 reciprocating under the actionof an arm 3% connected therewith, cross head 35 being retained in itsmovements by a pair of fixed guides 39, 39a. The aluminum bands M arefed up in front of plunger 34 by a turn table do more fully described insaid reissued patent to Allatt already referred to, wherein a detaileddescription. will also be found of. the manner in which said aluminumband is bent so as to enclose the top or neck of the tea bag T and itsstring S.

Turret B then rotates into station F where a series of operations areefiected for providing a non-tangling tagged string handle for the teabag in the form of a drawn loop of the string passing through the teabag. These operations together with the equipment for effecting the sameembody the objects of the present invention.

The operations at station F comprise (l) driving a needle P through thetea bag T, (2) threading a portion of the string into a notch or openeye N formed at the leading end adjacent the point of the needle P aftersaid needle has traversed the body of the tea bag, (3) drawing theneedle P back through the tea bag together with that portion of thestring S in the form of a loop which is threaded into the notch Nthereof, (4) unthreading the string from the needle so as to leavestring loop free, and (5) ejecting the tea bag from the slot 339 inwhich it is sustained at station F. All of the mechanisms for effectingthese operations are included in equipment H.

The mechanism for driving the needle P through the tea bag T and forretracting the same comprise (Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 9) a needle holder orpost Eil provided with a set screw 5! for securing the needle P inposition, said post forming part of a sliding carriage or frame 52, alever 53 pivotally connected to carriage 52 at 5% and fulcrumed at 55,an adjustable link at pivotally connected to lever 53 at 5?, a lever 58pinned to rock shaft 59 and having one end connected in driving relationto link 5% at 68.

Another lever 58a also pinned to turn with shaft 59 is connected to link6i pivoted to one end 62 of a link 63, the latter carrying a cam roller64, the other end 62a of said link 63 being pivoted on a shaft 66. A cam55 rotating with a drive shaft 6! engages the roller 6 and is operativeto actuate all of the foregoing interconnected links and levers foractuating the needle movement.

The mechanism parts cooperating to thread or guide a mid-portion of thestring S into the notch N of the needle P include a plate to rigidlymounted on carriage 52, a pair of screwstuds or stops ii, ii a rigidlymounted on plate ill, a second plate l2 slidably supported on plate "i0and having a slot 53 formed therethrough guidably engaging with stopsii, i id, and a camshaped portion or ramp 'lZa formed thereon as shown,a spring id anchored at 75 to plate l0 and at 76 to plate 72, a pair ofthreading fingers or spaced arms 80 mounted to move together andpivotally' supported at 85, a spring 82 tending to draw arms 86 from thestring S, and a roller 83 carried on one of said arms 89 and positionedto ride onto ramp 'iEa formed on one end of plate E2, the foregoingelements being designed and positioned so that when carriage 52 movesfrom the position shown in Fig. l, roller 83 engages on plate ramp 52aso as to swing arms 89 past the path of the needle and force the stringS into the needle notch N.

The parts of, the apparatus acting to retract the needle P are the sameas the ones already described for driving the needle P through the bodyof the tea bag T.

When the needle P arrives at the end of its retracting course, it iscaused to rapidly reverse direction and begins to move back towardsstation F, as indicated in dotted line position of the holder 52 in Fig.6. The string engaged in the notch N of the needle is stretched andunder tension before the retracting movement of the needle P and, whenreversal occurs, is quickly released from this tension strain andsprings out of the needle notch N.

Cam 65 is formed and designed so that the speed of the needle atreversal is such as to release the tension on the string rapidly enoughto effect release.

In order to support the tea bag T and to guide the needle P during itscourse in opposite directions through the body of the tea bag, anoscillatably supporting frame 98 is provided having a bracket 95 mountedon one end thereof, said bracket carrying a spring plate 92 (Figs. 3 and4) formed with a tube, nozzle or teat 93 positioned so that its axis iscolinear with the path of movement of the needle P. Spring plate 92 actsto press the body of the bag against a fixed pressor plate 95 positionedon the other side of the tea bag T and to support the tea bagresiliently when the needle P is being retracted. Frame 98 is oscillatedby a link 95 actuated by an arm 97 pivoted on shaft 56 provided with aroller 98 riding on a cam 99. A spring 98a retains the roller 93 againstcam 95.

The string having been drawn through the tea bag T to form anon-tangling loop, there remains only the operation of discharging thetea bag T from station F. This is effected by two independent groups ofmechanisms, one acting to withdraw the finished tea bag from station Fincluding following up to insure ejection of the tea bag from thisstation and a finger gripping means for supporting and moving the bag Tafter the same is dislodged from the station F.

The discharge of the bag T from the station F is primarily accomplishedby a. spaced pusher fork l3ii which straddles the plate having the slotat station F as is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, said fork being mounted toterminate an arm [3! carried on frame QQ. Said fork grasps the neck ofthe tea. bag T and on the receding movement of the frame from thestation F, it dislodges the tea bag T therefrom.

The tea bag finger gripping means for supporting and moving the bag I isoscillatably supported on the frame of the machine and includes a pairof fingers tilt, lfllla mounted to oscillate together and to and fromeach other, each of said fingers being pivotally mounted at Elli, Mildand being provided with gear teeth H12 in mesh with one another, eachfinger also carrying an adjustable stop iiiS, a plate EM supportingpivots IUI, Nita and being itself pivotally supported at H35, a springtilt inter-connecting fingers I00, lflila which are anchored to pinsI01, I 01a, pin III'Ia being positioned on an arm I08 integral withfinger'l00a and sliding in an open slot I09 whose extremities act asstops. A rod H at its upper end is pivotally connected to one extremityof plate I00 at HI and is provided with a compresthat, when leverIIO-ismoved by cam II6 from by a mechanism (not shown).

the full-line position in Fig. 9 to that indicated inthe dot and dashline, rod H0 will move upward so as to tilt plate I04 about I05 as anaxis. When this happens, arm I08 will move in its guiding slot I09 fromthe position shown in Fig. 1 .to theposition shown in Fig. 5 where itwill abut against one end of the slot I09. Any further tilting movementof plate I04 will then cause spring I05 to move into the position shownin Fig.5 across the axis of pivots IOI, IIlla. Gear teeth !02 will thenact to swing fingers I00, I00a toward one another so as to grip the teabag T. When plate I00 swings from its full line position toward the dotand dash line position shown in Fig. 9, the tea bag T which is at firstgripped by fingers I00, IBM, is released and discharged into a conveyorI20 (see Fig. 2) by a series of operations exactly inverse to thoseabove described.

In the event that fork I30 should fail to remove the tea-bag from theslot at station F, anauxiliary pick operating in a similar manner to theejector described in the said Allatt reissue patent already referred to,comes into action to insure ejection of the bag.

This auxiliary ejecting pick comprises a cam controlled lever arm 200having a forked extremity 20'I an oscillatable arm 202 fitting intoforked extremity 2!, and a rod 203 fixed by a binding post 204 to arm202 and terminating in a pointed bent portion 205 (Fig. 3). Theforegoing elements are designed and positioned so that, when frame 90moves from the position shown in Fig. 1 towards the position shown inFig. 5, fork I30 first acts to engage the tea-bag and then, as frame 00swings so as. to tilt rod 202 and bring point 205 into contact with thetop of the tea-bag in the manner shown in Fig. 3. Further outwardmovement of frame 90' will then cause point or picker 205 to eject theteabag T from the slot in station F in case the bag T should stick.

The driving and timing mechanism connected to units A, B and equipment Hare such as to make all the operations continuous and automatic.

Operation.The mechanisms hereinabove described operate in the followingmanner: Filled tea-bags T are fed to turn table I8 of unit A by asuitable mechanism (not shown) and gripped between plates I0 and jawsII, the latter being actuated to open and close at the proper time by acam or other convenient form of control mechanism (not shown). When turntable I8 rotates so as to bring a tea-bag T into line with station C ofunit B, fingers 20, 20a have already seized a. string S which terminatesin a tag G, said string S being delivered to said fingers This lattermay be like that described in said Allatt reissued patent. Slide 2Iactuated by rod 22 then comes into action to push the tea bag T andstring S into slot 30 at station C, fingers 20, 20a and jaw II beingretracted simultaneously by appropriate mechanisms to release the teabag T and string S. As unit B rotates towards station D, by a step bystep movement, guards or guides 3|, 3Ia act to maintain the tea bag Tfirmly in slot 30. As soon as the tea bag T arrives at station D, shears32 are moved from open to a closed position so as to trim 01f the top ofthe tea bag T together with its accompanying string. Unit B then rotatesone step towards station E where plunger 34 is actuated by rod 36 toapply an aluminum band around the neck of the tea bag. Unit B then againrotates a step so as to occupy station F. Here, after frame 90' hasswung into the position shown in Figure 1 so that the tea bag T isgripped between presser plate 95 and spring plate or guide 92, lever 53swings carriage 52 supporting the needle into the position shown inFig. 1. As carriage 52 moves into the position shown in this figure,roller 83 rides over ramp 12a so as to swing arms 80 from the positionshown in Fig. 5 into the position represented in Fig. 1. A mid-portionof the string S is thus forced into the needle notch N.

It will be noted that, since plate I2 is mounted to slide on plate I0,there will be a tendency for such sliding action to occur when roller 83contacts with ramp 12a. Spring I4, however, will tend to preventexcessive sliding movement from occurring. Once roll 83 has ridden overramp 12a, spring M will act to bring plates I0 and 72 into the positionshown in Fig. 1.

As soon as the needle begins its retracting movement towards theposition illustrated in Fig. 5, these portions of the string engaged onthe end of arms 80 will be drawn oif of the latter end, as theretracting movement continues, arms 80, under the guiding action ofroller 83 will ride back over ramp 12a into the position shown in Fig.5. It will be obvious from inspection of the drawings that thisretracting movement is effected by lever 53 acting on carriage 52.

Once the needle P reaches its fully retracted position, cam 05 acts toquickly move the needle back towards the dotted line positionrepresented in Fig. 6. The loop of string engaged in the notch of theneedle P, hitherto under tension as shown in full line in Fig. 6 willspring out into the dot and dash line position shown in the same figureand disengaged from the notch in the needle the cam 65 being properlydesigned to effect reversal at the proper speed. As soon as the needleis unthreaded, cam IIE comes into action to move lever H3 so as to tiltplate I04 and bring fingers I00, l00ct into gripping relation withrespect to the tea bag T. Frame 90 carrying the fork I30 together withcarriage 52 and the mechanisms actuating fingers I00, I00a then begin toswing outward, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to eject the tea bag fromstation F. As frame 90 approaches.

the end of its outward course, plate I04 tilts downward so that arm I03engages with one end of slot I00 thus causing spring I05 to move acrosspivots IOI. Gear teeth I02 will then act to swing fingers I00, I00a intothe open position illustrated in Fig. 1 and the tea bag will drop intoan appropriately positioned conveyor I20, shown in Fig. 2.

Should the fork I30 and the fingers I00, II 0a fail to detach the teabag from station F, picker 2,05, actuated by the parts 200, 20I, 20 2,and 203.,

will act to assist in forcibly ejecting the bag T in the manner alreadydescribed.

It is tobe noted that the nozzle 93 preferably is made with a passage ofsufficient size only to permit the free movement of the needle P and thestring S threaded therein. Said nozzle serves to retain the strands ofthe looped string passing therethrough together so that when the needleP moves to unthread the string, the bight of the looped portion of thestring engaging the notch N alone is spread out, as shown in Fig. 6, tofacilitate the disengagement of the string from the nozzle.

Units A, B and the equipment H will then be ready for a new series ofoperation for forming non-tangling string handle bags.

It will thus be seen that there is provided apparatus and a method inwhich the several objects of this invention are achieved and which arewell adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent:

1. In a machine of the character described, a needle having an opennotch adapted to engage a string, needle supporting means, means forholding a tea bag in position, means for successively moving said needlesupporting means toward and away from said tea bag supporting means,said needle support moving means being constructed and arranged toeffect reversal of the needle at a speed sufficient to disengage thestring from the needle notch.

2. In combination with a machine provided with means for holding a bagpackage in position and a needle having an open notch formed adjacentthe point thereof adapted to engage a string, of means for guiding thestring into the notch of the needle including an element operative tointermittently contact with said string at two spaced points.

3. In combination, a machine provided with bag package supporting means,a needle, and needle actuating means operative to drive said needlesuccessively in opposite directions through said bag, and meansoperative to engage with a 1 bag package for ejecting the same from saidsupporting means.

4. A loop stitching machine for a bag package comprising a needle havingan open eye adapted to receive a string, means for driving the needlethrough the package and withdrawing same, and means for engaging astring in the needle eye when the needle is inserted through said package, said driving means being so constructed and arranged to disengagethe string on withdrawal of the needle from said package.

5. In combination with a machine provided with bag package supportingmeans, a needle and needle actuating means operative to drive saidneedle successively in opposite directions through a tea bag, ofejecting means operative to discharge said bag package from saidsupporting means, and means for gripping the discharged tea bag.

6. In a method of forming a non-tangling string handle bag package, thestep of releasing a looped string threaded in an open notch of theneedle extending through the package by quickly moving the needle whileretaining mid-portions of the loop strands together to cause the bightof the loop engaging the notch to spread and free itself therefrom.

7. In combination with a machine provided with means for successivelydriving a needle in opposite directions through a bag package, ofsupporting means positioned to maintain a bag package in the path ofmovement of said needle including a resilient abutment portion.

8. In combination with a machine provided with means for successivelydriving a needle in opposite directions through a bag package, ofsupporting means positioned to maintain a bag package in the path ofmovement of said needle, said supporting means including a nozzleportion wherethrough the needle passes.

9. In combination with a machine provided with a needle and means forsuccessively driving said needle in opposite directions through a bagpackage, of supporting means positioned to maintain a bag package in thepath of movement of said needle, said supporting means including a pairof gripping portions, the gripping portions situated on that side of thebag package which the needle first penetrates being resiliently mounted.

10. In combination with a machine provided with a needle and means forsuccessively driving said needle in opposite directions through a bagpackage, of supporting means positioned to maintain a bag package in thepath of movement of said needle, said supporting means including a pairof gripping portions, the gripping portions situated on that side of thebag package which the needle first penetrates being resiliently mountedand provided with tubular guiding means positioned co-axially with thepath of movement of the needle.

11. In combination with a machine provided with bag package supportingmeans, a needle, and means for supporting and successively driving saidneedle in opposite directions through a bag package, ejecting meanscomprising a pair of gripping fingers formed and positioned to take holdof the body of the bag package, and means for moving said fingers towardand away from one another.

12. The combination defined in claim 11 including means operative tomove said gripping fingers away from said supporting means.

13. The combination defined in claim 11 including means operative toswing said gripping fingers toward and away from said supporting means.

14. In combination with a machine provided with bag package supportingmeans, means for ejecting the package from the supporting means, a pairof pivotally mounted fingers positioned to move toward and away from oneanother to grip and to release a bag package, finger supporting means,and means for oscillating said finger supporting means.

15. In combination with a machine provided with bag package supportingmeans, a needle, and means for supporting and driving said needlethrough a bag package held in said supporting means, needle threadingmeans comprising a pair of oscillatable arms positioned to straddle theleading end of said needle when said needle has traversed through thebag package, and means operative to oscillate said arms toward and awayfrom the course of said needle.

16. In combination with a machine provided with bag package supportingmeans, a needle, and means for driving said needle through a bag packageheld in said supporting means, of needle threading means comprising apair of oscillatable arms positioned to move across opposite sides ofthe path of traverse of the needle.

17. In combination with a string handle bag packaging machine havingmeans to discharge a finished package, an apparatus driven by saidmachine in timed relation with the operation of said machine to providea non-tangling loop in the string handle drawn through the bag, saidaping cooperatively assembled to operate successive- 1O ly in timedrelation.

J OSEF WICHULSKI. MICHAEL PIZZOLANELLA.

